What Are Your Favorite Shooting Drills?

Only your imagination limits the possibilities. I'm not talking about "free shooting", just standing around taking shots.

Adding "pressure" to your game shots, game spots, game speed mantra makes sense. Pressure degrades performance. Having a rebounding partner adds efficiency. Here are ten of the shooting exercises that I favor:

First, warm up your shot. I like 'flips', one handed shots in front of the basket, swishing three in a row and taking a step backward. Then make ten consecutively from each block with emphasis on form. 

1. Elbow to elbow. Shoot from the elbow and sprint to the other elbow for another catch and shoot. Count your makes out of ten and then switch with your partner. 

2. Elbow to sideline. I like to run this with two shooters at a time, each with a rebounder. Shoot from the elbow and sprint to sideline (or half-court) and back for another catch and shoot. One minute for each shooter; count your makes (usually you will take about ten shots in the minute). 

3. Bill Bradley (Beat the Pro). Game to 11 with one point for a make and three points (for the pro) for a miss. You must make 11 of 14 (or better) to win. 

4. Celtics 32. 

Three pointer, mid-range shot, layup with six points possible from each radian. There's an expanded version (Pitino 168) with seven radians (42 points) and four quarters (maximum of 168 points). 

5. 3 pass transition, everyone shoots. 

Three passes to advance the ball. The player who makes the layup (3) initiates the break coming back (with passers 4 and 5) and each player on the break gets a shot. Ideally, we track makes per minute. 

6. Four minute shooting (three balls only). 

Four minutes to score as many as possible. I watched the UCONN women do this drill and score 175 baskets in four minutes. We are not in that area code, never mind zip code. 

7. 30 buckets. 

We usually have only 2 or 3 hoops to work. Shooter and rebounding partner. Goal is to make as many perimeter shots as possible in 3 minutes. Then switch assignments. After each make shooter rotates to a new spot. 

8. Star Drill (3 rounds) 

9. Frito Lay (free throw line to layup) 

Flip (self-pass) to elbow, pivot and drive hard. Rebound and dribble to elbow, turn and shoot elbow jumper. Rebound and pass to next person in line. Players love this contest. 

10. 251 

You have to make two on the turns...so the sequence is 1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 3, 2, 1, 1, 2 and so on. It's harder than it looks. Challenge yourself to improve constantly.